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LSA-1
'LSA-1 '''is the first Leedsian satellite, an Earth observation satellite that was launched on 12 December 2012 at 0452 local time. Critics hailed the launch a "great success". The launch was planned to take place on 1 December, but was pushed back four times due to several issues, eventually launching twelve days later. It was initially postponed on 1 December due to snowfall; it was then postponed on 3 December due to an "electrical problem" with the launch tower; it was again postponed on 6 December due to ice; before being postponed a final time on 9 December, also due to ice. The launch finally took place on 12 December, twelve days late. The successful launch made Leeds the eleventh space power capable of putting satellites into orbit using it's own vehicles. It followed North Korea, who controversially became the tenth just hours before Leeds' launch. The Leeds Space Agency declared the launch successful. This was confirmed a few hours later by a statement from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), who confirmed "an object" had reached orbit from "the approximate area of Leeds". Etymology The name "LSA-1" is derived from the acronym of the Leeds Space Agency ("LSA"), who own and launched the satellite, and the number "1" as an identifier to distinguish it from later Leedsian satellites. 1 itself was chosen as it was the first satellite launched by the LSA. Background The launch of LSA-1 was Leeds' first attempt at launching an orbiting satellite. However, Leeds are a part of the European Space Agency, who have launched many satellites. As a result, this was Leeds' first independent launch, completely on it's own, without outside help. The launch made Leeds the eleventh country to place a satellite into orbit using an indigenously developed carrier rocket, after the Soviet Union (now Russia/Ukraine), the United States, France, Japan, China, the United Kingdom, India, Israel, Iran, and North Korea. Postponements : ''Main article: Launch of LSA-1 In a statement on 30 November, a spokesperson for the LSA confirmed that there was "no chance" of the launch going ahead in the early hours of the following day, following a light sprinkling of snow at the launch site. A statement released at close to midnight that day formally confirmed the postponement of the launch until 3 December due to "snowfall". However, there were doubts that the launch could go ahead on that day either, given the weather forecast for the region over the following few days. This was compounded by a statement released on 2 December by the LSA, who said that the rocket was "unlikely to launch" due to an "electrical glitch" in the launch tower. Later that day, the LSA formally postponed the launch for the second time, due to "electrical problems in the launch building", giving the new launch date as 6 December. The LSA released a formal apology for the delay immediately after. A statement from a GBMA spokesperson on 3 December said that they "doubted" the ability to launch the satellite on 6 December, due to weather forecasts warning of bitterly cold, icy weather sweeping in from Siberia - the so-called "Beast from the East". The LSA initially hushed rumours of a third postponement, stating that "we'll do everything in our power" to get a safe launch, also stating that the conditions will probably be "not all that bad". However, with conditions continuing to get icier, the LSA acknowledged concerns and postponed the launch early on 5 December, stating that "there's too much ice on the launch structure". It was later confirmed the launch would take place on 9 December. Once again, the GBMA warned that icy weather was likely to continue on 9 December, and a safe launch was even more unlikely than on previous dates as a result. Ice continued to accumulate on the launch structure over the next few days. Late on 7 December, the LSA confirmed that the launch was suspended "indefinately" due to ice. With no confirmed launch date, the GBMA and LSA worked together to try and find a slot with favourable weather conditions. Milder weather was forecast for 11 December, which would melt all ice on the structure, with colder weather returning by mid-morning on 12 December, which would cause new ice to form. On 10 December, the LSA released a statement announcing that the launch would take place on 12 December, providing that weather conditions held out. The next day, they said it was "touch and go" as to whether the launch would go ahead. At 0100 on 12 December, it was confirmed that weather conditions had held out and were favourable. The launch was finally given the green light, twelve days late. Launch LSA-1 was launched at 0452 on 12 December 2012 from Raeburnfield Space Centre. The rocket was tracked by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) from launch, who confirmed launch was successful. It was also monitored by the LSA, who reiterated it's success. The first stage fell away and impacted the ocean 0501 in the Bristol Channel, 10 miles south of Milford Haven, Wales. The second stage fell away and impacted the sea at 0508 in the Irish Sea, 60 miles south-east of Douglas, Isle of Man.